Meanings and Practices of Swaddling (qillpu) in Infant Care in Andean Communities

Swaddling, known in Quechua as qillpu, is an ancestral practice still in use in Andean communities, linked to cultural conceptions of health, protection, and appropriate ways of raising babies. The objective of the research was to analyze the sociocultural meanings and practices associated with qillpu, as well as the tensions that arise in relation to conventional medicine in the field of childhood. A qualitative ethnographic approach was used, involving in-depth interviews with mothers, participant observation, and interpretive analysis of the discourses collected in Andean communities. The results show that swaddling is perceived as a comprehensive care strategy that promotes rest, bodily symmetry, and the physical and spiritual protection of the child. The testimonies legitimize its use in the face of accusations of abuse, emphasizing its temporary and functional nature. It is concluded that the qillpu maintains a solid symbolic and practical relevance, and therefore its analysis requires an intercultural dialogue that articulates ancestral knowledge with biomedical approaches.